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presented, such as toasters featuring
exposed stainless steel mesh, lacking the
moulded profiled casing. The OpenStructures
project initiates a construction system where
everyone can design and share with others.
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Design for Download invites consumers to
participate in the design and making process.
This collaboration between Droog Design
and Mediagilde invites designers, brands,
manufacturers and consumers to download,
design, make and share digital design.
The process enables customisation and
collaboration for the construction of furniture
and other non-products such as architecture,
fashion and food. Finished designs can be
rated and shared with the online Design for
Download network.
•
SketchChair is a free, open-source software
tool that allows anyone to easily design and
build digitally fabricated furniture.
•
Make-Me.com: In beta stage, MakeMe is an
online platform for design creators, brands,
manufacturers and consumers offering an
easy way to download, design, make and
share digital design.
Open-Source Design: Mass Bespoke
Open-source design has become a DIY culture
in itself, promoting the availability of information
such as instructions and design-plans, allowing
consumers to manufacture objects themselves.
This broadening of opportunity leads us into a
world of unmoderated designs of very mixed
quality. On the positive side, it champions a
community of DIYers, empowers the consumer,
and could even re-energise manufacturing through
the creation of many new jobs.
Back in 1974 modernist artist and designer
Enzo Mari developed a project and book titled
Autoprogettazione that gave instructions for
building easy-to-assemble furniture using rough
boards and nails. Mari created the project because
he thought that “if people were encouraged to
build a table with their own hands… they would be
able to understand the thinking behind it”.
Taking this approach, open-sourced design
and manufacture have escalated in popularity,
particularly in the home and furniture industry.
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Amsterdam-based Jesse Howard has
designed manuals for users to build, repair
and modify their own household appliances.
Parts for the designs can be bought,
salvaged, recycled, CNC milled and 3D
printed. Designs for these tools are modelled
on the OS (Open Structures) grid developed
by Belgian Thomas Lommée, who worked
with Howard to produce variants for a water
boiler. The stripped-back plans are reinforced
by the rudimentary but beautiful examples
Autoprogettazione
© Enzo Mari
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Redefine
Consumer Product